India’s Deepa Malik on Monday (September 12) created history by becoming the first-ever woman from the country to win a medal at the Paralympics when she clinched a silver in the shotput F-53 event.
Malik’s best throw of 4.61m from her six attempts was enough to clinch the silver medal. Bahrain’s Fatema Nedham won the gold medal with her throw of 4.76m, while Dimitra Korokida of Greece bagged the bronze medal with a throw of 4.28m.
The mother of two and wife of an Army officer, Malik is a paraplegic after a spinal tumour made walking impossible for her 17 years ago.
The 46-year-old athlete has also won medals in swimming at international competitions. Malik holds the Asian record in javelin, and also bagged World Championships silver medals in shotput and discus in 2011.
Her silver is India’s third medal of the Rio Games after Mariyappan Thangavelu and Varun Singh Bhati won gold and bronze, respectively, in the men’s T42 high jump event.
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